Approximately 350 million people around the world live with major depressive disorder (MDD). While there are existing treatments, up to two-thirds of patients with MDD do not achieve remission following an initial adequate trial of antidepressant medications and nearly 70% experience residual symptoms with first line standard of care.1 There remains a critical need for...
Advances in scientific knowledge and growth in the cell and gene therapy space have led to a new and exciting era of medicine for patients, as well as a new motivation for regulators to provide clear, efficient pathways for product developers. These therapies frequently target diseases in patients that are rare (affecting fewer than 200,000...
As a cornerstone of the drug development process, nonclinical investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies are essential for supporting first-in-human (FIH) dosing for novel therapeutics. High-quality IND-enabling studies demonstrate that a drug is reasonably safe for use in humans and that it exhibits sufficient pharmacological activity to justify further development, ensuring the highest probability of transitioning...
When pitching to investors, a sponsor is not just selling them on the product; it is also promoting its ability to develop that product. Investors want to know the risks involved with the program, but they are also evaluating the sponsor as a risk factor of its own. Investing in emerging biopharma companies is a...
Asking the appropriate questions during a pre-IND meeting with the FDA is a critical step in planning a development program. A Pre-Investigational New Drug Application (pre-IND) meeting can be a valuable component in planning a development program. For companies that have not previously interacted with the FDA in the early stages of a product’s development,...
On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a final rule that was initially proposed in September 2023 concerning the regulatory framework for laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Understanding the nuances and implications of these changes is paramount for specialists in regulatory affairs and the clinical development arena. The FDA updated its regulations...
Under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR), manufacturers are required to plan, conduct, and document a clinical evaluation in accordance with Article 61, part A of Annex XI. This evaluation must be based on clinical data providing sufficient clinical evidence to demonstrate: Despite being among the highest risk, certain implantable and Class III devices may...
For implantable and Class III devices, the requirement to conduct a clinical investigation as part of the CE marking process has not changed compared to the EU Medical Device Directive (MDD). However, whereas the MDD included minimal requirements regarding such clinical investigation, the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) provides detailed legal requirements for conducting a...
As a sponsor wisely noted, “Clinical trials have nothing without participants.” Yet, in a 2023 study, 48% of sites cited patient recruitment and enrollment as a top challenge. The downstream impacts of recruitment challenges are profound for sponsors, sites, and most importantly, for patients in need of life-changing therapies. Ironically, on examination, the causes for...
Medical devices are ubiquitous — from thermometers, bandages, and dental floss to blood glucose meters, hearing aids, and complex implantable devices such as pacemakers. The latest cutting-edge examples even extend to apps on tablets and PCs that physicians use to help monitor and treat patients. Before a medical device can be put on the market,...